ROBERT
Well, thank you for all your help, Mrs.
Johnson.
FRANCESCA Francesca.
ROBERT Francesca.
(Francesca nods, as if to say hello and
goodbye in the same moment. She gets out
of the car, closes the door, then asks:)
FRANCESCA
Would you like some iced tea?
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
(Robert fiddles with the
kitchen radio, tuning in to the Chicago
station. Francesca is making iced tea. Robert
sits back down at the kitchen table.)
FRANCESCA
Lemon?
ROBERT Sure.
(With her back to him, Robert
never takes his eyes off her. She turns
and crosses to him, with the tea.)
ROBERT
(cont'd) Thanks.
(Francesca smiles and sips her own. She
watches him gulp down the tea so fast, some
of it dribbles down the side of his face
and neck. Francesca finds it sexy. He empties
it.)
FRANCESCA
Would you like another one?
(Robert nods and he pulls
out his cigarettes.)
ROBERT
Mind if I smoke?
FRANCESCA (at
the sink) Not at all.
(Robert lights up as he
watches her fix another iced tea. He watches
her slip off one boot, then the other --
never missing a beat of her preparation.
He can't help eyeing her body. When she
returns, she also has the flowers he picked
for her arranged in a Casper the Friendly
Ghost jelly glass. She places them on the
table and sits.)
ROBERT
Sure you want to keep those in the house?
FRANCESCA I'm
so sorry about that. It was rude. I think
I just got nervous for some reason.
ROBERT I thought
it was funny.
(She likes that.)
FRANCESCA
Where are you staying while you're here?
ROBERT A little
place with cabins. The something-Motor Inn.
I haven't checked in yet.
FRANCESCA
And how long are you here for?
ROBERT As long
as it takes, I might stay a week. No more
I don't think. Where's your family?
FRANCESCA My
husband took the kids to the Illinos State
Fair. My daughter's entering a prize steer.
ROBERT Oh.
How old?
FRANCESCA About
a year and a half.
ROBERT No,
your kids.
FRANCESCA Oh.
Michael's 17 and Carolyn's 16.
ROBERT Must
be nice having kids.
(Francesca looks at him
and FANTASIZES SAYING:)
FANTASY:
FRANCESCA
Not any more. It's awful. They're awful.
I can't stand them.
END OF FANTASY:
(But in reality, Francesca
chooses instead to say?
FRANCESCA
(cont'd) They're not kids anymore. Things
change.
ROBERT
Everything does. One of the
laws of nature. People are always so
afraid of change. But if you look at it
like it's something you can count on happening,
it's actually a comfort. Not many things
you can count on for sure.
FRANCESCA I
guess. Except I'm one of the people it frightens.
ROBERT I doubt
that.
FRANCESCA Why?
ROBERT Italy
to Iowa? I'd call that a change.
FRANCESCA (explaining)
Richard was in the army. I met him while
I was living in Naples. I didn't know where
Iowa was. I only cared that it was America.
And of course, being with Richard.
ROBERT
What's he like?
(As Francesca thinks of
an answer, she looks over to the entranceway
between the kitchen and the front hall and
sees:)
FANTASY:
(Richard standing there
in his underwear, reaching over his shoulder.)
RICHARD
Franny, could you clean out my boil again?
END OF FANTASY:
(Francesca answers Robert,
half of her still in fantasy --)
FRANCESCA
He's very... clean.
ROBERT Clean?
FRANCESCA (catching
herself) No. I mean yes, he's clean but
he's also other things. He's a very hard
worker. Very honest. Very caring.Gentle.
Good father.
ROBERT And
clean.
FRANCESCA Yes.
Very clean.
(They drink. Francesca thinks
she sounds like an idiot.)
ROBERT
So you must like Iowa, I guess.
(Francesca looks at him.
She wants to tell the truth, but holds back.)
FRANCESCA It's...
uh... uh...
(She stops. Robert smiles.)
ROBERT Go ahead.
I won't tell anyone.
(Surprised, Francesca looks
at him oddly -- as if he already knows and
is giving her permission.)
FRANCESCA It's...(tries
again) I...(finally) I hate it!
(She covers her mouth, like a reflex --
worried someone heard. Robert just smiles
and nods.)
(Francesca
is so taken by his understanding and acceptance,
she lets the flood gates open, speaking
faster than her mind can keep up --)
FRANCESCA
(cont'd) (without a pause) I hate it! I
hate it! I HATE IT! I hate the corn and
the dust and the town and the cows and that
SMELL that you love! I hate the people.
Everybody knows everybody's business, I
mean it's nice now and then, they're always
there to help out, but that's just it, it's
like they're waiting for something awful
to happen to help out and when nothing awful
is happening, then they just sit around
and talk about what is happening which is
none of their business.
I want to kill them sometimes for how cruel
they can be --
(Camera begins slowly moving
out to a wider angle...)
FRANCESCA
(cont'd) -- everybody's talking about poor
Mrs. Delaney whose husband is having
an affair with that Redfield woman and
"isn't it a shame," and "isn't
it awful," and the truth is THEY'RE
LOVING IT! Poor woman can't even be cheated
on without the grocery man knowing about
it -- no one respects anyone's privacy.
You're not even safe in your own home! They
think they can just walk right into your
house because they BAKED you something.
It's like they have a secret password and
YOU CAN'T KEEP THEM OUT! I live in fear
of that door opening and having a peach
cobbler shoved at me...
(Throughout
this rapid fire monologue,
camera has moved to a wide angle as Robert
just sits and listens, letting her get
it all off her chest.)
Useful lanuage
items:
One of the
laws of nature. 自然规律之一。Back
Francesca
is so taken by his understanding and acceptance.
Francesca 深受他的理解和接受而感动。 Back
none of
one's business 跟某人无关。 Back
have an
affair with somebody 此处指 跟某人有男女关系。 Back
fire monologue
此处指女主人公火山爆发般的一段独白。Back
get off
one's chest 解除心头的郁闷、重负等。Back
